The Washington critic., 1887-09-17
FRAUDS IN room AND DRINK.
Important Results of Analyses by tho
grICulturaI Department,

agricultural Department,
Following the chemical analyses OF butter
and the numerous var les " limitations Of
butter, down to and including straight oleo-
margarine, the Department Of Agriculture
has analyzed several other important ortl-
eles OF food drink and condiments, FOR the
purpose OF ascertainlug the nature aud de-
gree OF adulteratiou practiccl in the trade.
The principal articles tested thus far, In al-
dillon to butter and the limitations thereof,
are mustard, spices, baking.powdors, beers
and wines.
Going through the list in the order here
given, the results can be briefly summarized
as follows
MUSTARD.
Very few samples Of mustard are free
from adulteration, some being only sllgh y
impregnated with foreign substances, while
Others contain large percentages OF lour
and sand. It happened that Just about the
time the Department was analyzing mus
taTde, new brand was put upon the mar.
ket and was extensively advertised in gro
cery stores, street cars etc, as the only pure
aud unsdulteratcd mustard In the market.
The Department procured samples OF this
extremely pure " article, and the an ilyiis
proved that the chief difference between
this and other adulterAted mustIrds was 10
the audaclousness Of the claim Of purity In
this instance. 1t contained lOur and sand
with some mustard.
SPICES.
spices maintained their reputation for
sdulteratlon, black pepper rather leading
the list In this respect. 1t was ascertalnei,
for Instance, that olive stones have been
imported and ground for use as Il base
for the article extensively sold as black
pepper.
rLKINg Powders.
Baking powder. nearly all contained
alum, while some kinds contained, In sddi-
tion, ammonia and lime. This part OF the
Departments work has been virtually los!
to the public. The work OF the analyst was
In = fair state Ot foruarduess, when by u
stroke OF good fortune he obtained u situa
tion elsewhere at salary about twice as
large as the Department OF Agriculture was
paying him, and, like sensible man, he
promptly went to work at the higher salary.
Nobody has rs yet been detailed to CON.
pleie. his work upon baking powder adul-
teratlons.
DBERs AND WINES.
Some important facts and figures are 10
the report upon the results Of tho analyses
OF beers and wines. Its contents are Of u
character which will attract general atten.
tlon and excite much public comment,
while come parts Of 1t viii doubtless cause
much chagrn and meet with severe critl-
cism In trade circles. 1t will show the ex.
tent and character of adulterstions to
which certain beers and native wines have
been subjected. Although most OF the sam-
pies aDalyzed were obtained from or sup
piled 10y sgencies or manufactures In the
District OF Columbia, they represent manu-
factures used In all parts OF the Union.
In nearly all of the beers sslicylic acid
was found, aud In native wines, which have
been advertised as pure and free from adul-
teration or deleterious foreign Ingredients,
ssllcylic acid was also found in greater or
leseer proportions.
The report is confined to a simple, plain
statement OF facts, without argument or
opinion ss to whether or not the foreign in
Rredisnts are deleterlous to health, aud
avoiding remarks relative to what extent
these Ingredients might be used without In
jury to health.
IL appears that certain manufacturers OF
beer claim that salicyllc acid ha. not been
proven to be Injurious TO health. On the
other hand, they defend the use OF this In
gredient on the ground that 1t IL good
tonic and relief II not q specific for rheu-
natism. They call attention to the fact
that salicine and sslicyllc acid are used In
the practice Of medicine very much In the
same way As quinine, for similar purposes
and In like quantities; In short, the author
tiles In the books are quoted to prove the
| efllcsclousnsss and beneficial character of
this drug. According to Magendrs, sail
| cine arrests the progress of fever with
| the came power as sulphate Of qunine.
Tho surprising part Of the showing In this
| report Is not so much the use of sslicyllC
acid in beer, but 1t ia in the fact that some
| Of the brands OF so.called California wines
about the purity Of which dealers make er
travEgant bogsts, were found to contain
sallcylic acid as well as other foreign sub
| stances.